Smithson Valley 31, Churchill 14 – fourth quarter

The Rangers recover the onside kick, and McKenzie Parker keeps it on the next play for a 31-yard gain. Lach Labanna scores on a 5-yard run to end this one.

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The Chargers make another long drive, this one is 15-plays and 80-yards, finishing with a 5-yard Glenn Hill TD with 4:30 left. Five-and-a-half minute drives aren’t that great with four minutes left though.

Take away SV’s long catch and the punt block, and Churchill’s controlling this game.

Just when Churchill’s getting some momentum going, Rangers receiver Parker Taylor delivers the backbreaker. On third down, Taylor was uncovered and wide open going down the left sideline and goes in untouched for a 75-yard TD.

The Rangers go up by 17 points with 9:55 left.

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Ooooooohhhhhh Dustin Aguilar just laid out Smithson Valley’s Lach Labanna with the best hit I’ve seen this season. Labanna was trying to catch a pass in the flat when Aguilar just teed him up. Labanna stayed down for a minute, but got back up. The incomplete pass forces Smithson Valley to punt and that’ll fire up the Chargers.

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The Chargers punch back with a pounding 14-play, 80-yard drive that takes up six minutes, 33 seconds.

Glenn Hill finishes it with a QB sneak.

This game was closer than the score indicated in the first half, and Churchill just showed why.

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Halftime ends with the Chargers dance team putting on an excellent performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Churchill has a bye next week, so that was its Halloween deal.

Churchill gets the ball to start the second half.

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Ryan Unruh hits a 27-yard field goal as the first half expires, but this game is much closer than it seems. The punt team is dominating for the Rangers right now.

Smithson Valley has 97 total yards to 85 for Churchill, but the Chargers are averaging 22 yards a punt – and that doesn’t even include the blocked one Zack Craig returned for a touchdown.

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In about 90 percent of games, the skill-position guys are going to be the ones we talk to since they’re the ones scoring touchdowns. So I love getting to write about things like the punt team.

Craig almost got to another punt in the second quarter, and it forced a 12-yard kick.

And just now, Blake Sylvester got a piece of a punt, partially blocking the kick. There was also a Churchill personal foul on the play, giving Smithson Valley possession at the Churchill 22-yard line with two minutes left in the half.

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The Rangers score again, on an 11-yard TD run by Robby Mecke.

Mecke went up the middle and stretch out over the goal line to finish off a nine-play, 52-yard drive. A pretty methodical drive too. Every play went for at least four yards and no play was longer than Mecke’s 11-yard score.

5:49 left before halftime.

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Smithson Valley does its whole ‘Ranger Way’ thing, scoring first on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by Zack Craig.

Craig flew in for the block, the ball bounced around for a while and right back to Craig, who picked it up for a 44-yard return and TD.

Smithson Valley time and time again seems to come through with these types of plays to turn a game.

We’ll see how Churchill responds.

4:05 left in the first quarter.

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At Comalander Stadium for No. 5 Smithson Valley (4-3, 3-2 District 26-5A) against Churchill (2-6, 1-5), a battle between the brothers Hill.

Larry’s Rangers are coming off an idle week. Their last game was a 27-3 loss to Madison, and now Smithson Valley’s in the middle of the muddy 26-5A playoff race.

Churchill has lost three straight, including a 21-14 overtime game against Madison last week. Quarterback Glenn Hill returns after missing three weeks because of a concussion. Hill’s replacement while he was out, Warren Truesdale, suffered a right shoulder injury last week and is on the sidelines wearing a sling.